Seriously … it's not loud motorcycles that are creating traffic hazards and unpleasantness. It's not motorcycles that are being built on the mountains and destroying the beauty of this region. It's not loud motorcycles that are crowding us with obnoxious, aggressive behavior.
I love the sound of loud motorcycles. To me it is the sound of sweet music. The thrill of motorcycles is my passion, not some distant phase that I had to get out of my system.
I have ridden motorcycles for over 13 years, and I can tell you from experience that loud pipes have prevented dozy drivers from merging into my lane without looking, on more than one occasion. I don't care about statistics. If a driver can hear it, they are a little more cautious, and the way people drive around here, "a little more" goes a long way.
If you live by a road, you will hear traffic. Sorry. Hey, perhaps we can make every annoying thing illegal, like crying babies and bad body odor and even tacky bright clothing. American people, come on.
— Brandon Oliver
Asheville
A variety of vehicles on NC roads are out of compliance with Asheville’s weak noise ordinance and the unenforced state NCGS 20-128 muffler law and the Federal Noise Control Act, not just loud non-EPA certified motorcycles. Loud motorcycles just happen to be the most prominent source of noise pollution; meaning the highest decibel levels per incident and the highest number of noise incidences, unless someone can identify a greater noise pollution source in the Asheville area.
If these laws were repealed, then the position reflected by Brandon can be he law of the land. Right now citizens who would like to be free from the trespass and public harms of noise pollution in their homes, places or worship, work and study have the law on their side. We should ask local, state and Federal government to either enforce noise mitigation laws in North Carolina and nationally, or publicly state they embrace unlimited noise pollution and will repeal existing noise mitigation policy since they have decided to do nothing about these kinds of nuisance issues.
North Carolina General Statutes § 20-128 Exhaust system and emissions control devices
(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a muffler, or other exhaust system of the type installed at the time of manufacture, in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise, annoying smoke and smoke screens.
(b) It shall be unlawful to use a “muffler cut?out” on any motor vehicle upon a highway.
(c) No motor vehicle registered in this State that was manufactured after model year 1967 shall be operated in this State unless it is equipped with emissions control devices that were installed on the vehicle at the time the vehicle was manufactured and these devices are properly connected.
(d) The requirements of subsection (c) of this section shall not apply if the emissions control devices have been removed for the purpose of converting the motor vehicle to operate on natural or liquefied petroleum gas or other modifications have been made in order to reduce air pollution and these modifications are approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (1937, c. 407, s. 91; 1971, c. 455, s. 1; 1983, c. 132; 1989, c. 727, s. 9; 1997?443, s. 11A.119(a); 2000?134, s. 6.)
South Park discussed this very topic on Wednesday night. Excellent viewing.